Trunk-strap loop



(No Modei.)

L. PHELAN.

TRUNK STRAP LOOP.

No. 544,070. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

. 02 zSPium/a llivrrn TATES LOUIS PHELAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TRUNK-STRAP LOOP.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,070, dated August6, 1895.

V 7 Application filed April 28, 1894. Serial No. 509,373. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern) Be it known that I, LOUIS PHELAN, a citizenof the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented a new and positions,and also allowing such straps to yield independently of each other whenany strain is placed thereon.

The invention also contemplates an arrange.- ment of fastening-strapsfor trunks and the like, whereby such straps can be thrown off of 'thetrunk or other object without affecting theirrelative connectedpositions.

With these and other obj ectsin view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arran gement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the' drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trunk equippedwith the herein-described improvement in straps. Fig. 2 is a bottom planview of the same. Figs. 3 and4c are detail sectional views illustratingthe manner of arranging the straps in the selfadjustingconnecting-keepers. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of one of thekeepers. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the blank of leather from which themain part of the keeper is constructed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

- 2 designates an ordinary trunk that is adapted and 3 are connected orfastened together at their points of intersection by means of theself-adj usting strap connecting keepers 4:, that are disposedtransversely on the top and bottom of the trunk. The said selfadjustingkeepers 4 essentially comprise opposite rectangular end loops 5 andopposite parallel intermediate connecting portions 6 and 7, that serveto inclose lateral openings between the opposite rectangular loops 5.The said intermediate connecting portions 6 and 7 are arranged atopposite sides of the loops 5 and have their opposite ends connectedwith said loops in order not only to provide a transverse openingbetween the loops, but also to maintain the said loops in their relativealigned positions. Each of the said keepers constructed as described ispreferably made of two pieces of leather, and, as clearly illustrated inFig. 6 ofthe drawings, the blank from which the intermediate connectingportion 7 is formed is'provided at its ends withright-angularly-disposed side flaps 8, that are folded to form the loops5, and the opposite or other intermediate connecting portion 6 isstitched at-its ends to the ends of said flaps to complete the form ofkeeper clearly illustrated inFig. 5.

The aligned loops 5 of the self-adjusting connecting-keepers 4: are of asize adapted to snugly receive therein the transverse trunkstraps 3, andthe longitudinal strap 1 is passed through the lateral opening betweenthe end loops 5 and also registers in the space confined between eitherof the connecting portions 6 and 7 and the transverse strap that ispassed through the end loops. By reason of arranging the trunk-strapswithin the keepers, as described, it will be obvious that under ordinarycircumstances the said straps will be always maintained firmly connectedtogether at direct right angles, and the open ings of the loops 5 andbetween the connecting portions 6 and 7 of the keepers are there fore ofsuch a size as to hold the intersecting straps in frictional contactwith each other, thus preventing the straps from freely sliding out ofposition. In opening the trunk or box it is therefore simply necessaryto unbuokle the straps and throw the same off of the trunk or boxwithout affecting the connection between the same; and at this point toofurther attention is directed to the fact that the construction of thekeepers admits of the same moving with either the longitudinal ortransverse straps independently of the other straps passed therethrough,so that the said keepers are therefore practically self-adjustlug.

As the greatest strain is exerted on the transverse straps, thelongitudinal strap may be lighter than said transverse strap, itdesired, and changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

The keeper herein set forth is adapted for use in connection withcrossing straps wherever the same are used for binding trunks andpackages, and consists essentially of three loops which are incommunication at their contiguous ends, the middle loop having lat eralopenings for the free passage therethrough of one strap and the other,or crossing strap, adapted to pass loosely through the three loops, thetwo straps crossing in the middle loop and held in frictional engagementbetween the sides thereof. By this construction of keeper, the strappassing through the middle loop is' retained in operative relation withthe keeper independently of the strap, disposed at right angles thereto,and passing through the end loops. Hence, it is essential to theefliciency of the device that the middle loop be closed in on itsopposite sides, otherwise no provision would be made for retaining thekeeper and transverse strap together when the longitudinal strap isremoved, intentionally or otherwise.

I am aware that a buckle-tongue has been devised consisting of end loopsconnected by a single side piece, which is designed to form a guard forthe buckle-tongue, and I make no claim to such construction, as'it islacking in a middle loop, and cannot, for this reason, be supportedindependently upon a strap passing transversely between the end loops.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with crossing trunk and package straps, of a keeper,located at the point of crossing of the said straps to hold them in arelative fixed position, the same consisting of three loops incommunication at their contiguous ends for the passage of one of thestraps through the several loops, and the middle loop having lateralopenings intermediate of the end loops for the free passage therethroughof the other, or crossing strap, the two straps being held together atthe point of crossing by the sides of the middle loop, substantially asdescribed.

2. A keeper for crossing trunk and package straps, to be located at thepoint of crossing of the said straps to hold them in a fixed relativeposition, after being properly adjusted, the same consisting of a blankof flexible mate rial, having oppositely disposed side flaps, at eachend, said flaps being folded to form end loops, and a connecting portionspanning the I space between the end loops and attached to the laps oneach side of their meeting, or inner ends, the space comprised betweenthe body portion of the blank and the said connecting portion, forming amiddle loop, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS PIIELAN.

\Vitnesses:

WM. L. WHELAN, '1. II. VON KAPFF.

